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Job outlook for merchandising representatives in the United States
Merchandising representative job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected merchandising representative job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 63,300 new jobs for merchandising representatives are projected over the next decade.
Merchandising representative salaries have increased 9% for merchandising representatives in the last 5 years.
There are over 16,131 merchandising representatives currently employed in the United States.
There are 351,931 active merchandising representative job openings in the US.
The average merchandising representative salary is $32,303.
Are merchandising representative jobs in demand?
Merchandising representative job and salary trends over time
Merchandising representative jobs over time
Merchandising representative job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 16,131 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 16,601 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 17,456 | 0.01% |
| 2018 | 17,529 | 0.01% |
| 2017 | 18,064 | 0.01% |
Average merchandising representative salary over time
Merchandising representative salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $32,303 | $15.53 | +3.6% |
| 2025 | $31,189 | $14.99 | +2.4% |
| 2024 | $30,450 | $14.64 | +2.7% |
| 2023 | $29,648 | $14.25 | --0.3% |
| 2022 | $29,737 | $14.30 | +2.5% |
Merchandising representative jobs by state
Most common states for merchandising representatives
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 439 | 41% |
| 2 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 532 | 40% |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 4,319 | 34% |
| 4 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 2,363 | 34% |
| 5 | Vermont | 623,657 | 213 | 34% |
| 6 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 2,933 | 33% |
| 7 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 302 | 29% |
| 8 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 3,185 | 27% |
| 9 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 1,523 | 27% |
| 10 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 838 | 27% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 527 | 27% |
| 12 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 159 | 27% |
| 13 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 1,075 | 26% |
| 14 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 938 | 26% |
| 15 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 1,671 | 25% |
| 16 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 338 | 25% |
| 17 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 189 | 25% |
| 18 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 2,052 | 24% |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 1,419 | 24% |
| 20 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 689 | 24% |
Most common cities for merchandising representatives
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Natick | 3 | 9% | $35,402 |
| 2 | Palm Desert | 3 | 6% | $32,809 |
| 3 | Poway | 3 | 6% | $32,791 |
| 4 | Belleville | 2 | 5% | $25,577 |
| 5 | Napa | 3 | 4% | $34,793 |
| 6 | Aliso Viejo | 2 | 4% | $33,076 |
| 7 | Antelope | 2 | 4% | $34,649 |
| 8 | Escondido | 4 | 3% | $32,839 |
| 9 | Irvine | 4 | 2% | $33,109 |
| 10 | Santa Rosa | 4 | 2% | $34,886 |
| 11 | Antioch | 2 | 2% | $34,662 |
| 12 | Modesto | 3 | 1% | $34,472 |
| 13 | Sacramento | 3 | 1% | $34,669 |
| 14 | Phoenix | 4 | 0% | $29,228 |
| 15 | Dallas | 3 | 0% | $28,535 |
| 16 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $27,936 |
| 17 | Austin | 2 | 0% | $28,279 |
Merchandising Representative job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of merchandising representative experts
University of Maryland - College Park
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
University of Maryland - College Park
University of Akron
Saint Xavier University - Chicago, IL
Oklahoma Baptist University
Aurora University
Thomas More University
University of Central Missouri
University of Hawaii at Manoa
University of Mount Union
Franklin and Marshall College
California State University Channel Islands
University of North Carolina at Asheville
What Merchandising Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kathleen Kelly: Maximizing your salary potential requires research, flexibility, and being your best advocate.
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.
ChairSouthern Illinois University Edwardsville
Communication And Media Studies
What general advice would you give to a Merchandising Representative?
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.: Network, get an internship, do action research etc - anything to add practical experience to the classroom knowledge base.
What Merchandising Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.: All things social media are important, and so writing skills still matter.
What will help Merchandising Representatives increase their earning potential?
E. Duff Wrobbel Ph.D.: With this major, probably the best salaries are from sales jobs, which many people shy away from because they think only of hustling used cars, but sales can be very good work.
What Merchandising Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Hank Boyd: With the looming prospects of AI, soft skills will reign supreme in sales. While at
first blush it might seem counterintuitive in that product knowledge used to be cardinal
skill, today's salesforce relies heavily on networking. Numerous academic papers lend
credence to this idea. Great people skills often trump wonkish knowledge about the
product line.
As we wade further into the 21st Century, environmental scanning (or better yet
the innate ability to read prospects) will remain pivotal. Exceptional salespeople
instinctively scan a prospective client's office noticing all the trappings. They are trying to find something they can comment upon, by doing so they can establish common
ground. Once a connection is forged, salespeople move out of the box of being pesky
interlopers into becoming valued associates.
Lastly, if you decide to embark on a career in sales never forget the tried-and-
true axiom of ABC - always be closing. This phrase means having the gumption to ask
for the business. While sales recruits might have congenial and bubbly personalities, if
they cannot look the prospect in the eye and ask for the business, they ought to find
another profession.
Director Dave Payne M.S.
Associate Professor of Practice / SalesUniversity of Akron
Specialized Sales, Merchandising And Marketing Operations
What Merchandising Representative skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Director Dave Payne M.S.: Skills and competence are king! Sales professionals are paid a commission and bonus based on "sales performance" results...this will continue to drive top sales reps and managers to earn some of the highest incomes in the country. I am very proud to share that U Akron sales graduates have had a nearly 100% job placement rate for over a decade, with some of the highest starting incomes in the state of Ohio. This is directly tied to the gracious support of the 30 Fisher Institute for Professional Selling corporate partners which hire them every semester.
Margie Bernard MBA
Faculty - Graduate Healthcare AdministrationSaint Xavier University - Chicago, IL
Graham School of Management MBA Program
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Merchandising Representative job market given the pandemic?
Margie Bernard MBA: Because our COVID-19 pandemic is the worst challenge now facing Americans, our U.S. health care industry is transforming all systems and staff to better meet diverse patient population needs today. Across the U.S., students should expect that demand for qualified health care professionals and leaders will increase 17% to 24% yearly through 2030 since the supply of talented team members is shrinking due to retirements.
It's important to know that 30% of individuals now living in our country will be age 65 or older in the next seven years. This segment of our society will require truly compassionate teams of medical assistants, therapists, nurses, pharmacists, doctors, financial personnel and leaders who can seamlessly come together to deliver community-based care. Children and adults will need expedited team support to access timely appointments for wellness exams and treatment of pre-existing conditions such as obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease and cancer. Across the U.S., we will see a 56% jump in patients newly diagnosed with all types of cancer in the next 10 years.
These demographic changes underscore why our U.S. health care industry offers many students excellent career paths when young graduates realize that delivering quality team outcomes begins with prioritizing a 'we' rather than 'me' philosophy.
Saint Xavier University's (SXU) mission of serving wisely and compassionately is critical within the work of our Graham School of Management (GSM) and School of and Health Science (SONHS) students studying healthcare administration, especially because their future careers involve giving excellent service to diverse patients every day.
Dr. Daryl Green
Associate Professor of BusinessOklahoma Baptist University
College of Business
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Merchandising Representative job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Daryl Green: Today's students need to embrace emerging market trends. For marketing students, the marketing concept means intimately understanding your customers and satisfying their immediate needs. The lingering pandemic from 2020 will make the job hunt more difficult this year. From my research, here are 2021 employment trends to consider:
Marketing strategy still matters. Today's businesses are using ineffective marketing strategies despite using digital tactics like social media platforms. According to HubSpot, only 61% of marketers believe their marketing strategy is effective. Yet, they are still pouring massive amounts of dollars into digital advertising. Understanding the basic marketing strategies will equip college grads for the challenges ahead.
Artificial intelligence and automation rise in 2021. Marketing professionals will need to be more tech-savvy. AI will make analyzing and implementing decisions more efficient. According to a McKinsey study, Netflix saved $1 billion in lost revenue in 2017 by using machine learning to make personalized recommendations. Other businesses, like Amazon, are doing the same.
Data analytics continue to emerge as a critical ingredient for market decision making. About 82% of marketers plan to increase their usage of first-party data (Source: Signal). Taking a marketing analytics course will be helpful to graduates.
Digital platforms will continue to dominate the economy. Thus, an online presence is essential. According to a Bright Edge study, digital ad spending will reach $389 billion in 2021. Thus, students need good digital literacy to succeed.
Mobile platforms like smartphones are the future. As for May of 2020, Google was responsible for 67% of all smartphone search traffic.
Jacqueline Babb
Assistant Professor of Digital Marketing, Director of Graduate StudiesAurora University
Marketing Department
What technical skills for a Merchandising Representative stand out to employers?
Jacqueline Babb: Technical skills paired with strong communication, flexibility in thought, diversity, and creative problem solving are a winning combination for job candidates. Candidates with a strong acumen in data analysis and storytelling are marketable right now.
Dr. John D. (Jack) Rudnick
ProfessorThomas More University
Department of Business Administration and Accountancy
How have salaries changed over time for Merchandising Representatives?
Dr. John D. (Jack) Rudnick: The consolidation of health systems into larger entities throughout the continuum and the infusion of private equity into healthcare have prompted meteoric rises in base salaries and bonuses for many executives. Reimbursement specialists and strategy consultants have also benefited from salary increases over the past 40 years. Salaries have shifted to more of an incentive-based model with a foundational base salary aligned with bonuses linked to pre-established metrics aimed at revenue-growth and expense reduction to optimize a health organization's return-on-investment (ROI).
Stephen (Tyler) Hirlinger
Assistant Professor of MarketingUniversity of Central Missouri
Division of Business Strategy, Marketing Program
What will help Merchandising Representatives increase their earning potential?
Stephen (Tyler) Hirlinger: I think creativity is a skill that's often overlooked, especially in the businessworld. If I were a student looking to differentiate myself and increase my earning potential, I'd diversify my skill set and develop my creativity as much as possible. In my opinion, creativity is the human ability that's most difficult (if not impossible) to automate with technology and will always be rewarded. Also, the ability to communicate and articulate one's ideas and thoughts effectively is a desirable skill regardless of the profession. The best communicators are often the highest earners!
Dr. Barbara Joyce
ACCESS Academic Advisor for undergraduate students in Sociology, Departmental advisorUniversity of Hawaii at Manoa
Department of Sociology
What's a good job out of college for Merchandising Representatives?
Dr. Barbara Joyce: A good job out of college is one that the graduates want, a job that is meaningful, that uplifts and inspires them, a job in which they use, and continue to develop, their talents and skills, and, of course, a job that provides them with the material resources and benefits they need to enjoy life. Credit where credit is due, Stephen R. Covey writes of the importance of those elements in his book Principle-Centered Leadership. I like his work a lot.
Michael Grossman Ph.D.
Professor, Political Studies and International StudiesUniversity of Mount Union
Department of Political Science and International Studies
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Merchandising Representatives?
Michael Grossman Ph.D.: It is less about licenses or courses and more about experiences. In this regard, internships are crucial.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Merchandising Representatives?
Cynthia Krom: Professional certifications matter. If your profession has a certification, you need to have that certification to be competitive in this new world. So, a public accountant needs to have a CPA, and a corporate accountant needs to have their CMA. A fraud examiner needs their CFE. Find out what is available in your profession and take whatever courses or exams are needed to be at the top of your game, because everyone else will.
We don't really know what will be happening with professional licenses with remote work. A psychotherapist may be licensed in New York, but remotely treating a client in New Mexico. Technically, they probably need a license in New Mexico. But who will control that? Will it just be the professional responsibility of the therapist to only practice where licensed? Will their malpractice insurance only cover them if the client is where they are licensed? What about a physician operating on someone a thousand miles away using robotics?
In terms of courses not related to professional certification or licensure, technology is where it is at. First and foremost, polish your Zoom skills. Zoom is now your face-to-face workplace and you need to be a pro. YouTube has great videos about lighting for Zoom, even with reflective eyeglasses. Perhaps your IT department is able to help with connectivity issues and learning remote technologies. And, as we have all recently seen, you need to learn how to turn off filters that make you look like a kitten! For nearly every field, you have to know Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) or similar programs. You need to know how to work collaboratively on projects through things like Google Drive. If you are not fluent in the basics, you are showing up for a horse race with a little pony.
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.
Associate Professor of MarketingCalifornia State University Channel Islands
Martin V. Smith School of Business and Economics
What's a good job out of college for Merchandising Representatives?
Ekin Pehlivan Ph.D.: I think a description of a "good" job opportunity is dependent on so many factors, almost all subjective. What I recommend my students usually, is that they try different things before graduation and find something that makes them feel a purpose other than (and in addition to) making ends meet. For this reason we started a program on our campus where students are hired to help non-profits and small businesses in our area of service. In this program, students get to gain and practice skills that can help them succeed in a corporate or freelance capacity. The students get to experiment without fear of losing a job and find what they would like their entry level positions to look like. While doing this they also help organizations and individuals who have the need but not the resources to get the services from professionals.
What soft skills should all Merchandising Representatives possess?
Sonya DiPalma Ph.D.: Be personable and a person someone wants to talk with and work with on a continuing basis. Listening and note-taking skills will be critical. Great employees listen well and ask good follow up questions. Be versatile and adaptable. If you find some downtime between projects, ask how you may help with another project.